Daddy's Girl
by cnohero
Summary: Set shortly after New Moon. Why does Charlie like fishing so much? Bella is about to find out, Charlie has another side to his personality we don’t see very often.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Twilight reference belong to Stephenie Meyer**

There are times in a girl's life… when she wishes she was taller than five-foot four, and there are times when weighing less than one hundred-twenty pounds can be a definite disadvantage.

Times when a girl thinks about all the other girls she knows, tall, athletic girls, who can go about their days without beings mashed by a bookcase. When she forms these thoughts she suddenly realizes that… she has somehow gotten the short end of the stick.

Yes, there are times like that and right now _this_ happens to be one of _those_ times.

I shoved my shoulder into the soft padding and pushed as hard as I could using all my strength. I pushed with my legs which appeared to be walking-in-place. "Ughh", with a final grunt I applied full force. The traction on my shoes slipped and my feet flew out behind me, dropping me belly flop style to the hardwood floor.

Once the wind returned to my lungs, I sighed, and then blew my sweaty hair out of my eyes. "So you want to play rough do you?" I glared at the mattress with loathing, and squeezed past it through the doorway where it had become stuck. Now I could see the problem, the rug from the hallway was bunched up beneath it acting like a break, preventing me from moving it. I seized the rug in two tight handfuls and pulled, nothing happened. "Grrr," I leaned back putting my weight into it. The rug came free in a rush, I was not prepared, and I landed flat on my butt. This was the pits! I'd spent half of the day flat on my rear-end. I was seething with frustration. "You… stupid piece of…"

"Bell?" I felt my anger turn into surprise at the sound of Edward's voice.

"Edward?" I said getting to my feet, and hopping into the air so I could see over the mattress, which was propped up long ways so it would fit through the doorway.

"What…what are…what are you doing?" He was standing by the window, surveying the wreckage that was my bedroom, his expression confused and mildly alarmed. The floor was coved with clothes, blankets, CDs, boxes, loose papers, books, dresser drawers, and a variety of other nick-knacks. The areas of flooring that were bare were coved, with cobwebs and dust bunnies. A plate-sized, dark stain of unknown origin tarnished the north corner where my bookcase used to stand. Martha Stewart would have gone into a seizure at the sight.

I was embarrassed; he wasn't supposed to see my room like this. "Er.. Um…my room hasn't been _really_ cleaned since; well…I don't really know when. Ooff!" I had been pushing passed the mattress, but it chose that exact moment to fall over, and it pinned me against the doorway.

I heard Edward snort with amusement. I managed to turn my head to the side and saw him wadding through the debris, with the intent of coming to my rescue.

"So, I thought that if I rearranged the furniture then I could clean everything," I explained. "Thanks," Edward lifted the mattress and since it was no longer squishing me and I could finally take a deep breath. "I don't think Charlie's ever cleaned up here, and I didn't realize how much stuff is stashed in here."

Edward walked down the hallway with the mattress propping it against the wall. "You could have called for some help." He sounded a little irritated, that I had not recruited him for my project, but then he snickered. "Wouldn't it be rather humiliating to die, by being helplessly smothered by your own furniture?"

"I'm not helpless." I rolled my eyes, and then glared indignantly.

An amused smile crossed his face and he cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, okay, compared to your standard I may be helpless. But I can do this myself." I gathered a box of hard backed books and staggered towards my closet.

"You're not helpless, just…human." He pulled the box gently out of my grasp; I wanted to beat that grin off his face.

"Thanks for that," muttered my voice thick with sarcasm. I was not thanking him for taking the heavy box, but for reference to my weakness as a human.

Edward immediately looked alert, "We'll later, Charlie." With those words he pulled open my closet door and let out a low hiss, it was full of boxes, and junk. Then he was gone, the swaying of the curtain in the light breeze the only indication that he had ever been here.

I heard Charlie's heavily booted feet clomp up the stairs. His steps stopped, and I heard him chuckle. "Bella, why is your bed in the hallway?"

"I'm cleaning," I called. I knelt on the floor and used a dust rag to wipe out the drawers from my dresser.

Charlie appeared in the doorway, "I see." His eyes scanned the disaster zone. "It looks like ground zero. What brought this on?"

"When was the last time you cleaned this room before I moved in?" I challenged.

"Point taken," he nodded his head.

"Bella," he was suddenly very excited, "I've got something for you." He produced a long slender package, wrapped in brown parcel paper.

"But, Charlie-dad, it's not my birthday or anything." I was surprised, I felt a slight flush fill my face.

"Oh, I know but you'll need this, I can't wait until your birthday. Come on open it."

I felt my skin crawl, as I remembered the tragedy that occurred the last time I had opened a gift. I wondered if Edward was outside my window also obsessing over the event as well. With exaggerated slowness I untied the twine that wrapped the package, and the paper fell away to reveal a long white tube that looked like a pipe with two caps on it. I stared at dumbfounded.

"This comes off," Charlie pulled one of the caps off and handed the pipe back to me.

I felt my face warm with embarrassment, that I hadn't realized this gift was more than just a pipe. I looked inside cautiously, but I could not see anything but darkness. I tentatively reached in with a finger and felt something smooth. I tilted the pipe and a glossy red and blue stick slid out.

A stick? Charlie had given me a stick? "Wow, dad. Um, thanks." I rolled the sleek wood through my fingers still feeling perplexed. "Ah, what is it?"

"It's a fly reel," he made this announcement with an animated extension of his hands. A large smile graced his face and his eyes were positively shining.

"A fly reel?" Where had I heard this term before? What was a fly reel? A hazy image associated with my work at the Newton's outdoor store was coming to mind.

"Yes! And it came with this really great case." Charlie had snatched the white tube from me and was unscrewing the bottom part, "the reel is detachable so it's easier to carry. It won't get tangled up on your way to river." He pulled out a metal case and began unwinding a thick yellow cord.

Then it came to me. It was a fishing reel! I felt my eyes grow large in horror. "Charlie? You bought me a _new_ fishing reel?"

"Well, yeah, you out grew your _Snoopy_ fishing pole a long time a go." He excitedly began putting the contraption together in fever movements.

I was thrown into a flashback of my experiences fishing with Charlie as child. He had bought me a tiny fishing pole, about 3 feet long, it was orange and had a picture of _Snoopy_ on the side of the reel. I had carried it over my head as I followed Billy and Charlie through the brush towards the river. Brief images of tangled lines, snagged fishhooks, smelly bait, and impaled worms filled my mind. "Charlie I haven't been fishing in years!"

"Oh, I know. Back when you were… well less happy, I was trying to find some way to help." His eyes looked cloudy when he said this. "I called the school and asked when your spring break was. Then I called one of my friends from the forest service and got reservations for a cabin up by Aldwell Lake. He promised it would have great fishing this year. I just couldn't stop remembering how happy you were as a little girl, and we were fishing. I thought that maybe we could recapture that."

"But Charlie, I'm happy now. I'm all better; you don't have to take me fishing- if you don't want to." I felt a twinge of panic bubbling up. I had to get out of this. "This is…"

I looked into Charlie's eyes and saw sadness, and disappointed "This is one of the best gifts you've ever given to me." I blurted out.

"Bella," he reached out with one arm and hugged me to his side. "We will have so much fun."

I forced a smile, "but…spring break isn't for another week."

"That's why I gave the reel to you today, fly fishing takes some practice, and it's more dynamic than regular fishing." Charlie could be a college professor in the art of fishing I realized. "I remember you once said you thought fishing was boring, but _fly_ fishing is a lot more exciting. I'll set up some targets in the backyard so you can practice your casting. It's a little late tonight, but tomorrow after work I'll show you how to do it." He cast his glance around the room, "where are you going to sleep tonight? Since your bed is in the hall?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess I'd better get started on this mess. Do you think you could make your own dinner tonight?" I had not realized how big this undertaking would be when I began my quest to rearrange the room.

"Oh, of course, I'll just fry some eggs. Do you need any help?" I could tell by the way he bit his bottom lip, that cleaning was the last thing he wanted to do.

"No, I think I can manage," I shrugged.

"What would I do without you to take care of the house?" Charlie sighed as he trucked down the stairs.

I sagged to the floor in a dejected heap, sprawling across a pile of clothes. This was nightmare! I can't go fishing! And I knew Charlie wouldn't be keen on the idea of Edward coming with us. That would mean I would be without Edward for a few days! Oh the horror!

"I didn't realize you were such an avid outdoors woman." Edward's velvet voice cut through my despair. I looked up to see him perched on my windowsill.

"You know better," I mumbled. I sat up and stared at the floor. "This is a disaster!"

"Yes, it is," he mused. "But don't worry we'll get everything in here straitened up in time for you to sleep tonight."

"Not the room! The fishing trip!" I snapped exasperated.

Edward sat on the floor next to me, and pulled me onto his lap. "Then why did you agree to go?"

"He just looked so excited, and I couldn't disappoint him like that."

"You're just too nice for your own good." He mumbled into my ear.

"I mean what if I drown, or something." I asked.

"You won't drown; I'll be there to save you."

"Um, Edward… I don't think Charlie knows your coming, and I don't really know how he will react to that. – I mean I would love for you to come and all- but..."

"Oh, No! He would not like that at all. But what he can't see can't hurt him right?"

"So you'll come?" I was feeling much better about this fishing trip.

"Well, yes, I promised I wouldn't leave you, remember. I'll just have to stay out of Charlie's sight."

I threw my arms around Edwards's neck and knew that whatever happened I would be able to handle it because he would be there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Bella and Edward, and their associated characteristics are not mine, of course. They belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

Practice makes Perfect.

"This is supposed to be…fun?" I asked skeptically. I was completely mystified by why anyone would do this for entertainment. Maybe if I were dying of starvation I might find this activity interesting since, in that case, it could be a life saving.

"Some people really seem to enjoy it." Edward affirmed, "Your father for instance, let's not forget he's the reason for this entire exercise."

"Don't remind me, it will just give me more motivation to poison him and collect the insurance money." I was joking, but I realized my voice had a rough edge to it. I sullenly began winding my tangled fishing line back onto the reel. "What a mess."

Edward snickered from his spot where he was leaning casually against the wall of the house.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" I snapped.

"Of course, I'm enjoying it," he stated suggesting that this was obvious.

I shot him a glare that could make milk curdle.

"I'm not enjoying that you're frustrated," he clarified. But I am enjoying myself, because I'm with you," he walked forward, and dexterously untangled my line.

"Don't think you can sweet talk your way out of everything," I mumbled, although of course he had done just that.

"Try again," he encouraged.

I sighed, and eyed the fishing pole guardedly. I rehearsed in my mind the lesson that Charlie had tried to given me yesterday afternoon.

* * *

"Now, Bells the key to being a successful fisherman is being able to place your lure in just the right spot" Charlie had tutored. "That's why I've set up this target for you to practice on." 

"You mean the big blue hula-hoop sitting in the middle of the lawn?" I had not meant to sound belittling, but after the words had popped out I saw a look of dissatisfaction on Charlie's face.

"Well, yes," Charlie looked a little disgraced by my lack of exuberance. "Just imagine that circle as the fishing hole?"

"That's the fishing hole? As in, that's the size of the entire lake?" maybe this fishing thing would be much easier than I thought.

"No, no, a fishing hole is a spot in a river or lake where fish like to hang out,"Charlie patiently explained. "It's usually a smooth little pocket of water, where the fish don't have to work so hard to swim."

"Oh, okay," I stared perplexed at the 'target' and then back at my pole. Charlie had set up my fishing pole prior to ushering me outside. This was the weirdest pole I'd ever seen. It literally looked like a lacquered stick. The reel looked like a metal cookie tin, with a handle poking out the side. A small hole allowed the fishing line to dispense, the first four feet of line looked like normal fishing line, but the rest was thicker, made of a yellow plastic. Charlie had called this first part the 'leader' it was the part where he had tied the fishing lure. In this case it was a black and white fuzzy ball that he called a 'fly'. The fly made me nervous, it looked like a tiny ball of feathers, but inside this benign looking structure lurked a sharply barbed hook.

I shuddered as I remembered the last fishing lure I had encountered. It had nothing to do with water or real fish, but I was imagining my time in Volterra when I came into contact with the beautiful Heidi.

Charlie continued to instruct me, "Okay, so Bella, first you'll pull out a little bit of the line like this." Charlie pulled a handful of the thicker plastic line out and began flicking the pole back and forth. The line above his head spun like a lasso.

I found myself giggling as I pictured Charlie at a fish round-up, riding through the water lassoing fish.

He flicked the pole forward and the line flew towards the hula-hoop, the reel clicking as the line dispensed. The lure landed inside the hoop! Wow, he was good. "Now, you reel it in nice and slow, make the lure move like a fly, so as to fool the fish." He demonstrated his stealthy plan deftly, and wound the line back on the pole. "So, why don't you work on that for a while?"

* * *

I _had_ been working on it. I had managed to place the lure nearly everywhere on the lawn except for the hula-hoop. I focused once again on the present, and raised my pole cautiously eyeing the 'target'. It did not help that I could sense Edward in the background witnessing my failure. I pulled out the line, and began flicking the pole back and forth. 

"Bella! Bella, wait, stop!" I heard Edward's voice as I flipped the pole forward for my final cast. I felt the pole recoil in my hands, and my forward momentum suddenly halted. I thought the pole was going to jerk from my grasp so I clung to it even tighter. I heard a horrifying sound. _Crack!_

I gasped as I realized I was only holding half of my fishing pole. On the ground five feet from me was the top half of the pole. The thick yellow line led a perfect trail from the reel still grasped in my hands, to the broken pole, and then it led to a source behind me. I took a deep breath, and turned around to see the rest of the line leading a trail towards my vampire boyfriend. My hands flew to my face, and I dropped the reel.

"Edward! Are you okay?" I gasped. I realized in horror what I had snagged the hook on.

Edward's shirt was torn in several places. "Of, course, I'm okay, I can't say the same for your pole though." I could not make up my mind weather this was good thing or a bad thing. Edward's well muscled bare chest was glistening in the faint afternoon light capturing my attention, but making me blush. "First it caught in that bush. I tried to untangle it for you, but then I guess you jerked on it, because it wrapped around my arm, caught in my shirt, and... well." He gestured helplessly to his ragged top. The line had made a few passes around his form, and then hooked back on itself, tearing as became taught.

I covered my face, as I felt warmth creep up my face in an even deeper blush. "Well, at least this time I caught something."

To my immense relief he laughed at my joke.

"I'm so sorry Edward." I apologized between my own giggles.

"Its fine, after all you can't hurt me. Although, I don't think you should allow Charlie anywhere near you when your casting." He turned and walked towards the road.

"Where are you going?" I was alarmed by his sudden departure.

"I think I have a gym shirt in my car, I don't think I can go to Port Angeles like this."

"Port Angeles? Why are you going to Port Angeles?" I trailed absently after him, gathering the fractured pieces of Charlie's gift.

He was hidden behind the Volvo, rummaging around in the trunk. When he emerged, walking around towards me, he was pulling down a grey T-shirt that read _Property of Forks High School_. "Well, we need to replace your pole before Charlie gets home, and I don't think you want anyone at the Newton's store mentioning that you were there buying a new pole." He pulled open the passenger door and waited for me to get in the car.

I walked towards him and he gently removed the shattered pole from my grasp. He gestured for me to get in the car. I obeyed without comment. I knew he was right, but I did not want Edward to have to buy me a new pole. He walked around to the other side, pausing to put the fly rod in the backseat. "Why do you have that shirt in your car?"

"Rosalie and Alice like to 'modify' the school uniforms" he shrugged.

For once I was grateful for his insane driving, it would get us home before Charlie. I pulled out some of his CD cases and read all the thank you notes the bands had published inside the CD books. I did this to distract myself from the miles of asphalt being eaten up by his tires, which were rotating at an extraordinary speed. Edward hummed along with the music playing on his stereo.

Edward's cell phone vibrated and was at his ear in a flash. "Hello?" He began talking in that rapid way that left me completely uninformed as to what he was talking about. "That will be great Alice, thank you." He flipped the phone closed and glanced at me smiling.

"What was all that?" I asked.

"Alice just had a few suggestions, that's all."

Before I could ask more questions, the car abruptly slowed, I felt the seatbelt pull gently at my chest as I involuntarily slid forward slightly on the seat. I looked up, expecting to see an oncoming car, an animal in the road, a werewolf or even Victoria waiting before us.

"There's a speed trap up ahead," Edward answered the questioning glance I had sent him.

"Oh, lucky you. You've got that built in radar." One of the bonuses of my truck was that I was not at a high risk of getting a speeding ticket. I wondered if Charlie had planned that on purpose, when he bought me the truck.

I scanned the scenery as we approached Port Angeles, then I saw him. A state trooper was seated on a BMW motorcycle lurking behind a billboard that was advertising, _Aunt Lilly's All-natural Herbal Shampoo_. I heard Edward chuckle by my side.

"What?" I asked curiously.

"He was thinking that this was the nicest car he's seen today. He's disappointed that he doesn't get to pull us over, so he can check it out. He's considering purchasing one so he can impress a woman who goes to his church." It's amazing all the inside information that you gain from having a boyfriend who can read minds.

Edward parked the car in front of the _Sasquatch outdoor store_. He reached in the back seat and gathered the broken pole, he opened my door, and we made are way into the log constructed store.

"What cun I do fer' ya?" a thin man with long blonde hair asked as he rolled up a pile of maps sitting on his counter. His face was wrinkled, although he looked like he was in his early 30s. His leathery skin suggested that he had spent most of his life in the great outdoors. I shuddered slightly, wondering if I'd look like that when I was thirty.

"We need a pole to replace this one," Edward stated without hesitation.

The rough looking salesman took the pole carefully from Edwards's outstretched hand. He nodded solemnly. "The _Zero G Freshwater 905-4_, how'd ya manage ta do that?" The salesman eyed the shattered fly rod with dismay.

"It's a long story, do you have a replacement?" Edward queried patiently.

"Yup, I recun' so, follow me." We were escorted to the fishing section of the store by our own personal mountain man. "See, the reel is still just fine, 'alls ya need is a new pole."

"Do you have one in the same color?" I asked eyeing a wall completely inundated with different kings of fishing poles.

"Should do," the salesman said in an optimistic tone. He pulled over a stepladder and pulled down a pole that looked nearly identical to my own.

I sighed in relief.

"Uha, well it's a might bit longer than yurs, but that's the best I cun do."

"That will do nicely," Edward replied, taking the new pole from the man's grasp.

"Need some help with settin' it up, with the reel and 'all."

I was finding it very difficult to decipher this man's words through his thick drawl, but Edward did not seem to have the same problem. "That would be very helpful."

"Alrighty, I'll just set it up and have it read up front in a few minuets." He gathered up both poles and eyed the broken one with a look of sympathy in his eyes.

I gawked after the strange man as he shuffled away. Edward gently grabbed my arm and began dragging me to another section of the store.

"Where are we going?" I hissed, shying away from a mounted buffalo head hanging from the west wall of the store.

"To the water sports section," Edward replied.

"Edward, don't you think I've already had enough sports exposure today? I hardly think this is the time for me to take up another adventure."

"Don't be silly Bella; we are getting equipment for your trip with Charlie."

"I think Charlie has everything already," I argued. I did not want him spending any more money on me. I was already calculating how much I would owe him for the fishing pole.

"Not _everything_, Bella, stop making this difficult," he muttered as he pulled me a long. I had dug my heels in as we approached the swimwear area of the store.

"Edward, maybe I should bring Alice instead," I cringed as he flipped through a rack mixed with swim trunks, bikinis, T-shirts, and other water paraphernalia. I felt sick when I considered the possibility having to model a bikini. "I mean, I don't really think I need to wear a swimsuit to go fishing!"

Edward snickered at my nervousness, "_Alice _is the one who said I would find…_this_ here."

I stared blankly, I did not understand what '_this_' was, "Edward?" I gaped at the item he held up. It looked like one of the swimsuits girls worn in the 1920s; the boy shorts that the high school wrestling team worn. What was he thinking? I was relieved that it would cover the entire trunk of my body, but it would be skin tight, and it was black with bright blue stripes down the side.

Edward sighed at the incredulous expression on my face. "Its neoprene, you can wear it under your clothes when you go fishing."

I continued to gawk at him as though he had grown a second head.

He let out a low groan, "It floats Bella, if you wear this and if you fall in the water you won't sink." It was like he was explaining a very important but simple fact.

"Oh," it registered to me at last. It was like the suits that surfers wore. "You mean it will keep me from drowning?"

"Well it will help, if your really _determined_ to drown you may be successful, but it will put up a good fight trying to keep you alive." His exasperation had turned into amusement. "Of course, I'll be there as well, but this is just a precaution."

* * *

In the car driving back to my house, my thoughts drifted to the anticipated trip with Charlie. To my mild surprise I realized I no longer looked forward to the event with trepidation, but I was actually starting to feel a little eager about the vacation. After all Edward would be there, silently keeping an eye out for me, and there was less of a chance that I would drown. Now all I had to worry about was: accidentally strangling Charlie with my fishing line, Victoria showing up and injuring or worse killing one of us, the werewolves showing up and causing trouble, the savage blood sucking insects waiting to gorge themselves on my 'sweet' blood, and tripping over a log or something of the like and killing or permanently maiming myself. Overall, the prospects were improving. 

A nagging question interrupted my reverie. "Edward?" I began.

"Yes?" he patiently waited for my question.

I paused suddenly feeling silly, "never mind."

He growled in annoyance, "Bella, you know I hate it when you do that. Will you just tell me what you're thinking?" he pleaded.

I sighed, after all I had done a lot of silly things in front of Edward, and one more bazaar question probably would not hurt. "Do vampires like fish?"

A low sound chortled from his throat. "You mean do we like them in general, or do we like to eat them?"

"The latter, of course." I rolled my eyes.

He cocked his head to the side considering my question. "I've never tried fish blood. I can't imagine it would be very tasty. Most animals that are cold blooded are not very satisfying. Snakes and lizards are not at all appetizing."

"I just wondered since you are all such great swimmers and everything."

"Oh, well yes, that can be very helpful in hunting large ocean going mammals."

I was horrified, my voice sounded strangled. "You mean whales and dolphins?"

"Well, yes, Bella, they are pretty large. They carry a lot of blood, and are said to be rather filling. Don't look at me like that. I haven't tried them myself, just heard about it."

I abruptly grew very silent. Horrible images of slaughtered whales spread across a beach drifted through my mind. These pictures were dredged up from a video my teachers had shown us in sixth grade. I had been very disturbed by this bit of knowledge. I had come home in a state of intense distress, and as a result my mother and I had been avid subscribers to several 'save the whales' campaigns ever since.

"Bella?" Edwards's voice did not slow to battery of graphic illustrations, but the unexpected onslaught of violent rain slamming into the windshield and the roll of thunder did.

I set up taller in my seat filled with alarm. Edward's cool fingers intertwined with mine and gave a gentle squeeze of reassurance. I felt myself calm noticeably, despite the loud violent rain.

"Bella, if it makes you feel any better, I promise I will never drink the blood of any whale or dolphin. Okay?" He was trying to put me back at ease.

I felt slightly guilty, I had always tried to surrender unconditional acceptance to the aspects of his way of life. It seemed twofaced of me to protest now. "Unless, you are in a situation where you have to?" I quantified.

"Unless I have to," he echoed.


End file.
